Noticed FX47 CDG-EMA-IND not operated last couple of nights is this planned break over easter or was it just a temporary flight

FX47 returns tonight after a break over the Easter period I believe

DHL Air UK’s next 777F G-DHLX is currently on delivery flight to East Midlands due 05:00 25/5

I guess you mean 05:00 on the 25th?

Trouble tonight, few diversions, DHLs to STN and LTN, RYRs gone to MAN?

drone activity I believe close to the airfield, maybe in connection with the Download Festival at Donnington Park? Airfield now re-open, diversions also went to Birmingham and Leeds/Bradford

The drone situation has hit the BBC News website UK front page. I would imagine that these incidents, and there was one the previous day as well, will probably ensure that the Download Festival will not be returning to EMA next year as the airport and the CAA are surely likely to object to it doing so not only on commercial grounds, but more so because being so close to the airport and threshold of RW09 there is clearly a danger to aviation. That would of course be extremely disappointing for festival goers, most of whom aren't quite so stupid, and to Donington Park and local businesses for whom I am sure the revenue is more than welcome.

However Leicestershire Country Council really needs to decide which enterprise, EMA or Donington Park is of most value to the region in terms of economic benefit and employment and ensure that the airport operation, not just from Download but also other racing and other events, is not adversely effected whether from an operation perspective, or from the perspective of customers, whether passengers or freight operators accessing the airport facilities. If they deem Donington Park to be of greater benefit then so be it, but I would doubt that Donington Park sustains even 5% 0f the number of full time jobs that EMA and the surrounding associated businesses do.

Who was there first? :ok:

My guess is some kind of muddle through will be negotiated, Download has been a pain for years - traffic, Pyros during performances, poor lighting security etc but still it returns - needs the Freight boys to lean on someone big time to stop it.

As an active facility EMA.

IIRC the Wheatcroft family didn't reactivate the racing circuit until the mid 1970s, around 10 years after Castle Donington was opened to commercial traffic. Download came along very much later.

The circuits pre-war, the airfield 1943

Correct, however it was inactive for decades, as was the airfield. The airport was opened considerably earlier than the circuit in modern times.

The two entities often conflict especially during the summer season and LCC need sort which one brings most to the table economically and make day to day planning decisions accordingly.

Or they can work out how they can co-exist. When Monsters of Rock started in 1980, the biggest inconvenience to sleepy EMA was keeping the staff awake...

Of course you're correct, and there is a simple answer, just one word - infrastructure.

Were the current A453 that runs parallel to the passenger and cargo facilities to be a dedicated access route to the airport, and a new by-pass road offering access to Donington Park and onward towards Breedon on the Hill and Ashby built that would go a long way towards alleviating the congestion and disruption to Airport users, both passenger and logistics that suffer with every largish event at the Donington Park site. Will it happen? Given the UK record on sensible infrastructure developments I wouldn't place a bet on it.

However, the question of Download and the air safety aspects - drones now, pyrotechnics as @almost professional mentioned and I wouldn't mind betting if not already, but at some stage the misuse of laser pens - may be insurmountable. Nobody would want to see an accident caused as a result of activities at an event not related to the event itself, and it is questionable whether Download should be allowed to continue in its current form on that site. It may be an accident looking for somewhere to happen.

IPS Airways to operate a A330 Mondays to Islamabad and Sundays to Lahore begins Monday 8th August. Feel like we’ve been down this road before so we shall see..

I share your scepticism! Company registered in July 2021, one director, paid up share capital 100 shares at £1 each. No accounts filed yet. Unsurprisingly no AOC issued by the CAA, so just a "virtual airline", but worse, one with no assets.

Question is, why would anyone give their money to a business like this to transport them to Pakistan, or frankly anywhere a lot closer! I am not in the least surprised that the airport PR machine hasn't jumped all over this one, it appears to be a prime candidate for an unglamorous appearance on Watchdog or Rip-off Britain (BBC TV shows).

Couple to note -

DHL AIR have re introduced it’s EMA-BRU-MIA-EMA route (767F) albeit only 1 weekly compared to the original 6 weekly MIA route

Also the daily DHL Air EMA-CVG-EMA run is now operated by a 777F instead of the 767F.

Tonight was the last UPS 747 on the 5X237 from Philadelphia for a while. Not sure when it is due back

Reverted back to the 767 whilst the loads are down during the summer, should hopefully be back during the winter period but as with cargo nothing is guaranteed.

With the confirmation that operations will cease at DSA next month (very sad to know that hundreds of aviation colleagues will be affected) TUI has made this statement (from TTG)

Tui will pump additional capacity for summer 2023 into several airports neighbouring Doncaster Sheffield airport (DSA) to support customers due to fly from DSA next year.

It was confirmed on Monday (26 September) that operations at DSA would begin to be wound down at the end of October following a strategic review, with DSA owner Peel Group.

Tui managing director UK and Ireland Andrew Flintham branded the decision was "incredibly disappointing". He confirmed Tui’s last flight from DSA would be on 4 November, and that Tui staff at DSA would be offered alternative roles.

In response to the closure, additional weekly flights will be available from Leeds Bradford, East Midlands and Manchester airports next summer to a range of the group’s most popular destinations. These include services to the mainland Spain, the Balearics and the Canaries, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt.

Tui will also launch two new routes from East Midlands to Antalya and Hurghada and three new routes from Leeds Bradford to Dalaman, Antalya and Dubrovnik.

In total, the three airports will offer flights to 54 destinations across 17 countries next summer. This includes 67 flights a week to Greece offering more than 600,000 seats and 34 flights a week to Turkey providing more than 300,000 seats.

Tui will operate both new routes at East Midlands airport twice-a-week, with Antalya flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays and Hurghada flights on Tuesdays and Fridays.

It will also operate two of the three new routes at Leeds Bradford twice-a-week, with both its Dalaman and Antalya flights operating on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The new Dubrovnik flights from Leeds Bradford will be on Thursdays, timed to allow customers to connect with Marella Cruises itineraries.

Elsewhere, Tui is upping capacity to several other destinations next summer. It will put on 175,000 seats to Cyprus, 10 flights a week to Egypt, 60,000 seats to Cape Verde and 18 flights a week to support it Marella Cruises programmes in Dubrovnik, Palma, Corfu and the US.

Richard Sofer, Tui UK and Ireland commercial and business development director, said: "With the unfortunate closure of Doncaster Sheffield airport, we know these customers will still want access to a great variety of holiday destinations, so it’s exciting to be able to offer this from other surrounding airports.

"Not only does this reconfirm our commitment to customers in the region, but it also shows our support for regional airports and the value they bring to the UK."